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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29657058">Bright Streets At Lonely Lights</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/IBoatedHere/pseuds/IBoatedHere'>IBoatedHere</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Communication, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Missing Scene, Necessary Scene, Write the Carlos You Want To See On The Show</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 22:13:58</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,534</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29657058</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/IBoatedHere/pseuds/IBoatedHere</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>TK takes a deep breath then leans forward and kisses Carlos on the forehead. “I think I’m gonna go for a run.”<br/>“What? Now?”<br/>“I gotta clear my head,” he explains. “There’s just too much.”<br/>“I’ll go with you,” Carlos says as he throws the sheets back and TK shakes his head.<br/>“You were asleep.”<br/>“And I’m awake now.”<br/>“You shouldn’t be. I shouldn’t have woken you up.”<br/>“I’m glad you did. Hey.” He puts his hand on TK’s shoulder. “I’m always glad to see you. But if you don’t want me to come--.”<br/>“You can come,” TK tells him with a small smile, “if you think you can keep up.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Carlos Reyes/TK Strand</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>264</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Bright Streets At Lonely Lights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Carlos wakes with a start, arms flailing and knocking away the hand that’s cradling his face.</p><p>“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” TK says as Carlos relaxes back against the bed with a sigh. “Sorry. I should’ve just crashed on the couch.”</p><p>“Are you okay,” Carlos asks, ignoring the idea that TK could possibly sleep anywhere that’s not beside him. “What time is it?”</p><p>“Late. I got off shift a few hours ago but I kinda just….” He trails off with a shrug and Carlos reaches over and flicks on the bedside light, frowning when he sees that TK is dressed to hit the gym instead of the sheets.</p><p>“Are you okay,” Carlos asks again. “It’s been a bit since I’ve heard from you.”</p><p>“It’s been a crazy few days,” TK answers, dropping his gaze to where his and Carlos’ fingers have tangled together on the bed between them. “I didn’t really have time to call.”</p><p>“A text only takes a second.”</p><p>“Ah, these things don’t really come across well via text. Or phone call.”</p><p>“Well, we’re face to face now. You wanna give it a shot?”</p><p>TK takes a deep breath then leans forward and kisses Carlos on the forehead. “I think I’m gonna go for a run.”</p><p>“What? Now?” “I gotta clear my head,” he explains. “There’s just too much.”</p><p>“I’ll go with you,” Carlos says as he throws the sheets back and TK shakes his head.</p><p>“You were asleep.”</p><p>“And I’m awake now.”</p><p>“You shouldn’t be. I shouldn’t have woken you up.”</p><p>“I’m glad you did. Hey.” He puts his hand on TK’s shoulder. “I’m always glad to see you. But if you don’t want me to come--.”</p><p>“You can come,” TK tells him with a small smile, “if you think you can keep up.”</p><p>-</p><p>They run side by side on the empty streets. The air is cool and clean and even though he’s sweating after the third mile he still shivers each time Carlos’ arm brushes against his own.</p><p>“You good,” Carlos asks as they come to a stop at a traffic light. There’s no one around, and on any other day he wouldn’t wait for the walk sign to come on, but right now TK isn’t going to say no to the break.</p><p>He nods with his hands on his hips, chest heaving as he tries to slow his breathing. Carlos does the same, his t-shirt damp and dark with sweat and the rush of desire that passes through TK is sudden and strong. They should’ve stayed in. They could be in bed right now out of breath for an entirely different reason.</p><p>“I hate running,” TK admits and Carlos laughs.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, me too.” He looks down the street then holds his hand out. TK takes it and lets himself be pulled along to a bench where they both sit down heavily.</p><p>TK watches as Carlos stretches his legs out in front of him and raises his arms over his head before he rolls his shoulders, getting comfortable. TK knows Carlos won’t push. He won’t ask what’s wrong. He’ll wait here all night if he has too, he’ll give TK all the time he needs.</p><p>It’s desire and fondness and affection and love. That’s what TK feels for him.</p><p>“My mom is pregnant,” TK says and Carlos’ eyes go wide as he whips his head around to look at him. “Yeah.”</p><p>“How,” Carlos says after a moment, “I mean….like...how?”</p><p>“Well,” TK says with a sigh, “when a couple of straight people love each other---or at least tolerate each other---.”</p><p>“No, no,” Carlos covers TK’s knee with his palm. “I get that. But...okay, don’t ever, ever, ever tell her that I asked you this but how old is your mom? And your dad...I mean, I thought that with the cancer and the chemo--.”</p><p>“Oh yeah, me too,” TK says with a nod. “I guess they found a way.”</p><p>“Wow,” Carlos says softly as he shakes his head. “And how do you feel about this?”</p><p>“I’m getting a brother or a sister when I’m old enough to be a father myself. Not that I think that I’m at all ready for that,” he says quickly and Carlos nods. “How am I supposed to feel?”</p><p>“You’re supposed to feel however you feel,” Carlos tells him. “There’s no wrong answer here.”</p><p>“Feeling jealous feels wrong,” TK admits. “So does feeling forgotten or pushed aside, like they wanted a do-over, you know? A kid that wouldn’t be so screwed up.”</p><p>Carlos squeezes his knee. “You’re not screwed up.”</p><p>“You only know me now,” TK explains, “you didn’t back then. You don’t know the things I’ve done.” He pushes himself to his feet and paces in front of the bench while Carlos looks on. “Maybe this kid has a better shot at it. My parents are together--officially I guess. Although my dad did turn his power of attorney over to me instead of my mom which was interesting.” He collapses back down beside Carlos and Carlos wraps an arm around his shoulders. “What if I’m a shitty brother?”</p><p>“Impossible.”</p><p>“How do you know?”</p><p>“Because you’re already a brother to Judd and Marjan and Paul and Mateo. They all love you.”</p><p>“But this is a baby.”</p><p>“You’ve been around kids before.”</p><p>“In passing.”</p><p>“If it makes you feel better I have nieces and nephews that all love me.”</p><p>TK twists to look at him. “Oh yeah? You’re gonna help me babysit?”</p><p>“I am the world’s best babysitter.”</p><p>“We’re gonna have to baby proof the condo.”</p><p>“We can do that.”</p><p>“And do you think we can fit a car seat in the back of your?”</p><p>Carlos hesitates and TK grins. “I can promise you that however we need to transport this baby from point A to point B it will be done in the safest way possible.”</p><p>“You’re gonna be okay with Goldfish crackers and Cheerios and juice boxes being thrown around back there?”</p><p>Carlos presses his lips together and nods. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”</p><p>TK hums and drops his head to Carlos’ shoulder and takes a deep, content breath. “I’m also thinking of becoming a paramedic. They’ve been having these floaters come in to replace Tim and they’ve all been a disaster and I’m qualified, Tommy said so, so I thought why not?”</p><p>“You’d be great at that. And selfishly speaking I know I’d feel a lot better if you weren’t constantly running into dangerous situations.”</p><p>TK tenses. “About that....I kind of ended up in a minefield this week.”</p><p>Carlos is quiet for a long moment before he pulls his arm from around TK’s shoulder. “How do you end up in a minefield?”</p><p>“Well, I kinda jumped off the ladder truck and into it. There were these kids and I had to go get them--.”</p><p>Carlos jumps up from the bench. “That was you? I heard the call come through over the scanner and I thought no way, no way my boyfriend would do that.”</p><p>“There were kids, Carlos, I had to get to them and it was a lot safer than it sounds, okay? My dad was there and we had a duffel bag and spray paint--.”</p><p>“A duffel bag and spray paint? The guy that knew where the mines were got blown up. Not even that, I heard he was vaporized. There were no recognizable parts of him left. Why didn’t you wait for the bomb squad?”</p><p>“I told you it’s been crazy. Look, the kid was bleeding out. I had to go.” He gets to his feet and puts his hands on Carlos’ hips. “You would've done the same.”</p><p>“And wouldn’t you worry about me?”</p><p>“Always,” TK says as he leans in for a kiss. “Let’s go. You’ve still got---.” He checks his watch and winces. “Four hours until you have to be up.”</p><p>They walk hand in hand back toward Carlos’ in silence until Carlos breaks it by clearing his throat.</p><p>“It’s gonna be a little cramped at your dad’s place once your mom moves in for real, isn’t it?”</p><p>TK shrugs. “I guess so.”</p><p>“And babies take up a lot of room. They’ve got a lot of stuff.”</p><p>TK watches him out of the corner of his eye while their hands swing between them. “Okay.”</p><p>“I was thinking, if you wanted more space or if it was too much you could just…”</p><p>TK steps in front of him. “Are you asking me to move in with you?”</p><p>“Yeah, I guess I am,” Carlos says. “But only if you want to. No pressure. No rush.”</p><p>“I want to,” TK tells him, “but not just because there’s gonna be a baby. I want to because I want to be with you. I want you to know that.”</p><p>Carlos smiles, warm and bright in the street lights, and pulls TK into his arms, kissing his forehead and temple then ducking his head and pressing a kiss to the side of his neck.</p><p>TK lets himself be held for a long while before he pulls away and looks up at Carlos.</p><p>“Come on,” he says, “let's go home.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Me: *Watches the show and enjoys it for what it is*<br/>Also me: I can fix this.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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